An autorack railcar (also referred to as an auto carrier or car transporter) is a railcar for transporting automobiles and light trucks. For example, an autorack railcar may transport vehicles from a manufacturing facility to a distributorship, or transport vehicles for passengers of a passenger train service.
An autorack railcar generally includes two or three levels (or racks) for transporting vehicles. Some autorack railcars are convertible between two and three levels. To load an autorack railcar, a skilled driver drives the vehicle up a ramp and onto one of the racks. The driver or another crew member then secures the vehicle to the rack with tie down straps, chains, etc. The process is reversed to unload the autorack railcar.
Autorack cars are typically fully enclosed with continuous side panels, end doors, and roofs to protect the vehicles from severe weather, theft/vandalism, or other in-transit damage. Even vehicles shipped via fully enclosed autorack cars, however, may be subject to vandalism and theft. For example, thieves are particularly interested in the vehicle key fobs because the key fobs are reprogrammable and may be sold on the black market.